In prior mobile communication systems that are compliant with the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) standard, the detection status of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) received at a user equipment (UE) device is reported back to an evolved Node B (eNB) of the network over a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). Because multiple UE devices may each transmit a PUCCH, the network allocates a portion of the total resources available for PUCCH communications, referred to herein as a PUCCH resource, for use by the UE device to report its PDSCH detection status to the eNB. In such prior systems, the UE device determines the PUCCH resource(s) allocated to the UE device for reporting PDSCH detection status from information received in, or otherwise associated with, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) used to provide scheduling information for the PDSCH.
Future LTE mobile communication systems are being developed to support an enhanced PDCCH (ePDCCH) for providing control channel information to UE devices. In such systems, a UE device may monitor and receive PDSCH scheduling information via an ePDCCH instead of, or in addition to, the PDCCH.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts, elements, etc.